Bald Eagles Reaching Toward Recovery on the Channel Islands

Date: May 3, 2007
Contact: Yvonne Menard, 805-658-5725

The May “From Shore to Sea” lecture focuses on the return of bald eagles to the Channel Islands with an exciting talk by eagle expert and wildlife biologist Dr. Peter Sharpe of the Institute for Wildlife Studies (IWS). Sharpe will explain the history of bald eagles on the Channel Islands, the cause of their disappearance, and the efforts to restore them to their historic range on the Channel Islands.

Using a combination of still photography and video, Sharpe will illustrate the efforts that IWS has made to restore bald eagles to the Channel Islands over the past 28 years. He will also give an update on the current status of the island bald eagle population, including the unaided hatching of bald eagle chicks in 2006 and 2007, the first in nearly 60 years.

Sharpe received his Ph.D. in zoology from Colorado State University in 1998. He has been directing the bald eagle reintroduction program on the Channel Islands for the non-profit IWS since 1997. In addition to directing the bald eagle projects, Sharpe has taken part in the research and management of other wildlife found on the islands, including the island fox, golden eagle, osprey, and loggerhead shrike.

The “From Shore to Sea” lecture series is jointly sponsored by Channel Islands National Park, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and Santa Barbara Maritime Museum in an effort to further the understanding of research on the Channel Islands and surrounding waters. The lectures occur at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8, 2007, at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum at 113 Harbor Way in Santa Barbara Harbor and Wednesday, May 9, 2007, at the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center located at 1901 Spinnaker Drive in the Ventura Harbor. The programs are free and open to the public.

---

The bald eagle restoration efforts on the northern Channel Islands are funded by the Montrose Settlements Restoration Program (MSRP), a multi-agency program dedicated to restoring natural resources harmed by DDTs and PCBs released into the environment by Montrose Chemical Corporation and other industrial sources in Southern California in the mid 20th century. MSRP included representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, California Department of Fish and Game, California State Lands Commission, and California Department of Parks and Recreation. Further information on MSRP can be found at: www.montroserestoration.gov.

The Institute for Wildlife Studies, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wildlife species, is involved in conservation projects around the world. IWS has conducted bald eagle restoration on Catalina Island for over 25 years, as well as efforts on the northern islands within Channel Islands National Park.

The EagleCAM is one of a number of educational opportunities offered as part of Channel Islands Live (CHIL), a cooperative partnership between Channel Islands National Park and the Ventura County Office of Education. Through CHIL, students have been able to watch the eagles in real time over the Internet. Teachers can then guide student learning according to state-adopted science standards. The EagleCAM and associated discussion board can be found at: http://chil.vcoe.org/eagle_cam.htm